Monday, December 31, 2012

Why do we love diners? Well, it’s three o’clock in the
morning and I want breakfast, my friend wants spaghetti, and my other friend
wants a roast beef sandwich and French fries. There is only one place where we
can all be satisfied, and that’s the diner. It seems that lot of people agree
with me, and must love diners, because they abound in Second Life.

The original diners were old railroad dining cars with their
wheels removed so they could stay in place and serve meals. The diners in
Second Life come in all shapes and sizes, but they share some common themes.
Most of the diners reviewed here stick to the tradition of being done in an Art
Deco style. The color red dominates, and shares the bill with chrome, 1950s,
rock and roll and roller-skating. Almost all of them have freebie food or
gifts. They all embody the spirit of America, and in my biased view, the joys
of living in New York or New Jersey where the best First Life diners can be
found.

Come with me on a grid wide tour of some of the diners of
Second Life. Please let me know of any I have missed, because there must be a
lot of them.

The Silver King Diner – This classic spot shows up first on
a Second Life search for diners. I love the location on the very north of the
Heterocera Atoll Continent. What’s great is that it’s bordered by roads where
rezzing is allowed. You can pull out a ride and zip into the parking spot in
front of this chrome and red deco building. Outside there are a few cars you
can sit in, and inside, take a seat at the counter and point to a picture of
food on the wall, and it will be delivered to you. If eating is not your thing,
there are dance machines and dance pads (they may or may not be paying
Lindens). The music stream is old
fifties rock and roll, that matches well with the old movie posters on the
walls. This is a really nice place to come for a Second Life date, especially
when you realize that you can get a free pair of roller skates outside, and
roll off into the sunset with your sweetie.

The Starship Diner – I know the owner and creator of this
diner. It is none other than Holocluck Henly whose skill as a DJ is well known
in Second Life. He has a reputation for taking care to tailor his playlist to
suit the theme and attendees at events at which he spins tunes. He also bears a
striking resemblance to a well known British doctor. So, it is no surprise that
the diner is a cool one. Of course, this being Second Life, there are some
surprises. But, I won’t mention the chickens wandering around inside until
later.

The Starship is built with Fifties sensibilities, and sports
a huge sign outside that often lists upcoming events open to all. Once inside a
vast, carpeted floor welcomes you to dance. The diner counter is chrome and
sports the New York special—a souvlaki meat slab. And yes, chickens…Holo has
always liked chickens, many folks still call him Clucky, so there are chickens
wandering the inside of the diner. Go out the back door of the diner and you
can pick up some freebies made by Holocluck himself.

The best time to come to The Starship Diner is when there’s
a party. Stop by to see what’s upcoming on the big sign out front.

Olivia's Creepy Diner – The next diner served up on our
plate is a bit different from the first two offerings. Sure, there is the
checked floor and old advertising signs, and art deco curved architecture, but
that’s where the similarities end. The proprietor of this swanky spot, Olivia
Scarmon lets you know in her profile picks that: The service sucks... Thats
because I am usually on a smoke break. Feel free to make yourself a sandwich or
something. Cold pizza is on the table if you prefer. Don’t step on my pet
roaches.

I was lucky enough to run into the aforementioned Olivia
when I teleported into the diner to make my report. She told me that she was a
fan of horror, and this diner was her way to express this love. We spoke for a
bit more, and then she promptly offered me an eyeball highball. Yum. The diner
is a showplace, complete with dirty booths, spiders dropping from the ceiling,
pet roaches in parade formation on the floor, and plenty of activities for
hungry visitors.

Come to Olivia’s and you can engage in a horror trivia (with
small Linden prizes), 7Seas fishing, dancing, eating (if you dare), and not
least of all, drink in an environment that just might help with that New Years
resolution to lose weight.

I highly recommend this place for its sense of humor,
horror, and high level of things to do. I encountered residents at the place
the few times I visited, and if I was not busy with reported for the venerated
Newser, I might have stuck around and made some friends.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Second Life has endless ways to make use of a sim. You can
have a rocking dance club, or others use a sim to hold prayers and build an
ashram or church. Native Americans use a sim just to hang out at and express their
culture and heritage. Another way to use a sim is for fun filled combat. Had a
bad day at work? Blast your friend’s head off with a submachine gun, or even better use a
bazooka.

Vickster Khun created a combat area in a sim owned by her, New Bastogne, which recreates
a World War II environment based in France during German occupation in 1944.
Nydia Tungsten and JessicaBelle Dayafter gave me a tour of the sim in a 1940’s
armored car. When I first warped into the sim I saw a realistic room like a
1940’s office. Walking out, I was in an underground bunker. Jessica was a Lt.
Colonel and Nydia was an under officer as a 1st Sergeant. Nydia played as her attaché
being the driver while Jessica explained everything.

As I was in the back seat I saw destroyed buildings and old
posters and cafes in giving the player or myself a historically accurate and terrible
war like environment. The builders behind the sim did a great job in creating a
realistic World War II recreation. In fact Nydia ran into an old style lamppost
on purpose and it actually fell over and the same with chairs and table on an
outside café.

There are also sewers to go underground if you wanted to be
sneaky and not be in direct combat. The goal of the sim, or rather the combat,
was to capture flags and change them to your faction or nation. But of course
as a combat sim you need firepower to overwhelm those nasty Germans, or you
could be playing as the Germans trying to take control of Europe.

Nydia and JessicaBelle showed me where to pick up weaponry and
a uniform so I’d be ready for battle. When I got the hang of it, I shot Nydia
"killing" her by surprise. Sadly for me she came back and killed me several times
going around the sim in fun filled combat. The combat scripts you put on only
give you 25 hit points and allow you to put a flag above your head to show you’re
an American or another allied nation. The low hit points add realism to the
combat sim. Instead of taking 20 bullets before you die you can only take a shot
or two before you die and respawn. To not be offensive the German sign is a red
field with a cross, not the infamous Swastika used in Nazi propaganda.

A SMG isn’t for you? Well good news, there’s more. Unlike the
first person shooter "Team Fortress 2" where you can pick a class to use certain
weapons you stick with the basic rifle, however you can still use bazookas you
just don’t start with full ammo like the solider in TF2. You have to pick up
ammo crates to load your bazooka. That way not everyone is going around German occupied
France with a bazooka you have to earn it by grabbing the ammo crates.

There are also vehicles to use as well to blast other
players. You can grab a tank or even a fighter plane to blast away with. The
tank gun made holes in the ground with a fiery after-effect and a sound effect
of voices yelling German commands to fire. The plane itself was tricky to fly
and I crashed into the sim next door. I had to laugh at myself in good fun.

JessicaBelle Dayafter wanted to show off the sim she likes
roleplaying in and she wanted to vent some frustration at a group of people
abusing the sim by bending the rules and not playing fair. Like Blizzard’s game "World of Warcraft," lots of players picked one side overwhelming the other
faction. The game loses fun when this happens, in Jessica’s words. In fact when
I brought up WoW she mentioned a lot of these unfair players may be also WoW
players.

JessicaBelle Dayafter: “And all too often people would not
use common sense of fairness. Like if you are fighting 3 enemies, coming over
with 12 soldiers and 2 tanks is wayyy overkill, and totally unfair.”

Also people can become abusive getting too seriously
involved in the sim. JessicaBelle Dayafter told me, “Going back to the topic at hand of
insults (sort of), another thing that drove many people off, is certain people
take their RP waayy too serious, and bordering on being down right
offensive/breaking rules of conduct set in place by LL.”

As an officer, a Lt. Colonel, JessicaBelle tries giving
orders, however her orders are often ignored by the other players. So by those upset
by the cheating players she suggests going to LL to complain. Part of the
problem is however is the managers and owner of the sim aren’t always sure what to do
and her suggestions fall on deaf ears. I used theanalogy of the NFL how when refs make bad
calls against the home team you’ll hear boos resounding from the stands.

JessicaBelle Dayafter, "Some examples of shenanigans: spawn
camping gathering large a large amount of troops, and waiting within line of
sight or right outside the spawn areas, so anyone trying to re-enter battle
gets massacred. A lot of it too was slinging insults to each other in combat, and
not in a playful/meaningless way."

Sounds like some people want to ruin the game for others and
bend the game to their will beyond reason and cheat. Which is sad when instead
of enjoying the WW II sim in a fair way, they made the sim not fun anymore. This is just common sense or something you learn as a kid
that other people do not like it if someone else cheats or plays a game whether
a video game or a board game in an unfair way. Or if someone is winning by roll
of the dice or just good shooting not to take offense and be a sore loser. That’s
something to be reminded of in the holiday season when fairness and kindness
show good holiday spirit.

Check out the WW II sim when you get the chance readers of
the Second Life Newser I had a fun time goofing off with Nydia and
JessicaBelle. That’s certainly part of
the Christmas season just having fun.

Friday, December 14, 2012

In my opinion, there are people in Second Life who get it.
Laura Liberty is one of those residents who is able to use this virtual miracle
to create environments that provide an immersive experience. Christmas Town is
one of those places that is a must-see for anyone who wants the best that
Second Life can offer.

Christmas Town (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Elizabeth%20Town/111/114/63
) was created almost entirely by Laura Liberty, and it was designed to be an
old-time Main Street with shops, parades, a castle, and so much more. The main
street is a dreamy, idealized depiction of an innocent time that is lost in the
First Life world of big-box stores and on-line shopping. The snow particles on
this street are heavy and realistic. I felt underdressed in my skating outfit.
However, I was dressed for skating, because that’s a big part of this glorious
sim.

At the end of Main Street sits a huge, blue ice castle that
is the site for an ice-skating ride that takes you through dreamy passages to
scenes from beloved Christmas movies. Hop on a single or couple (if you are
with someone) poseball, and you are transported effortlessly through the
castle. Sit back and enjoy the ride,
because your avatar’s camera will be set to allow you to see the best of the
scenes. It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas Story, and National Lampoon’s
Christmas are the source of the scenes, and the experience is sights and sounds
and you—twirling and flying through the air as you skate past the scenes. I was
completely entranced by this ride, because it just worked. The textures rezzed
well, and there were fun surprises towards the end. I don’t want to spoil if
for you, but if you ever wanted to be a star, this is the ride for you. At the
end of the article I have provided a link to a very short video I made of the
ice skating through Bedford Falls, because words are not enough in this case.

But wait, there’s more. Jump off the poseball and wander
down Main Street to feed your need to shop. There are many little shops selling
all kinds of holiday items, even things to get the jump on New Year decorating.
The shadows and lighting have all been created to be cozy and warm..

At the other end of Main Street Santa awaits your marching
pleasure. Jump on board his “float,” and you can high-step through the town. Santa
actually speaks to you at times, so he’s either a well-scripted bot, or a real
resident.

I could go on and on, but Christmas Town is really a place
to see. I suggest you get there now, and skate, shop, march, and experience the
best that Second Life has for us. Happy Holidays, and much love to you.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Sixth Annual Winter Festival, which runs from December 1 through January
31, at Aero Pines is now open. I am happy to tell you that the skating rink
is busy and the winter decorations are all in place. This is a great region to
visit and you can pick up some really nice free skating outfits or shop
for some before you venture out on the ice. I kept mine from last year,
but picked up a chinchilla coat to add to my collection. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Equus/42/188/23
It is right next to the skating pond.

Cindy Bolero has so many events prepared
for the two months that you can find on the festival brochure you will get.
While you skate, you can watch the Nutcracker Ballet on the super screen and join
in on the pose balls. One of the free outfits is a white ballet dress
with tutu. It is delightful. Here you may also take a cross country ski
tour on eight sims, take a ride in the sleigh, and more. All directions to help you are
on the brochure. It is always such fun to visit these sims any time of
year, but winter is special. Anyone is always welcome here. The whistling snowman
will greet you.

I guess I have a lot of favorite places to ski and skate. My next
favorite I have been visiting for 5 years, not only in the winter. Wolf
Mountain Ski Resort has everything you want or need for winter activities. Here
you can pick up a guide to activities and landmarks to help you get around. The
lodge is so inviting that you will want to spend some time in there where you
can sit by the fire, or take a dip in the indoor pool. I love the trip up the
mountain on the ski lift and then coming down on skis or sled.

You will find
free skies at the top, or rezz a sled for you and your friends. http://slurl.com/secondlife/WolfMountainResort/54/44/33
. There are so many wonderful spots at both these recreation regions you can
spend all winter visiting and finding new activities to try. I never tire of
visiting either place. Enjoy. Look for more soon.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Thanks to a landmark from a friend recommending a visit, I went to another
spectacular region that is set for winter activities. Since it was new to me, I
spent a long time exploring. There are actually 11 sims associated as the
‘Park Sims.’ At the time of this writing, four of the sims have been
turned into a winter wonderland. I ice skated through 4 sims on the ponds and
rivers passing under covered bridges. As I glided along I saw farm lands with
animals and buildings and large birds flew overhead.

I stopped off at a
“conservatory” style building that is serving meals. You have a great choice of
breakfast, lunch , beverages depending on the time of day. If you see it be
sure to go in for the full experience. All along the way I found sweet little
places to stop and investigate or hang out. Since there are no rentals here, you
may open any doors. I read that area is based on the early 20th century
American coastal area and it is very true. I took a cross country ski tour and
found a lovely stained glass church reminiscent of the the churches you see all
around the villages of the New England States, even now, that date back to that
era. You can enter the homes to see the furnishings that are also typical of
that time.

When you enter the sims you will find a set of rules to make your
stay more enjoyable and tips for what to look for. The owners, Tymus Tenk and
Truck Merideth have brought these sims to SL just for the enjoyment of
nature. I am amazed I have not found them before. They have also build an
elaborate and elegant Christmas Pavilion at the Bay of Balfala where events will
take place for the holiday season. It actually streches across the whole sim and
is lovely! You can find that at http://slurl.com/secondlife/BAY%20OF%20BALFALAS/86/132/2601
Enjoy the events by joining the group for notices.

To begin the
tour of the winter sims when you land you will see pose balls for skating
that will take you along the route with no effort. Pick up the notecards before
you take off. I plan to take the tour again to see all that I passed by on my
first tour and then venture into the other sims to take a look. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Calas%20Galadhon/141/223/23

Thursday, December 6, 2012

What’s better than Christmas decorations, holiday
traditions, food, and freebies? Probably, you can add to this list, but this
pretty much covers it for me. All you need is a few good friends or a will to
explore to go explore Christmas Around the World (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Irish%20Tropical%20Escapes/11/168/26
). This is such a good idea, because
Second Life is the place where you can learn about people all over the world,
and cultural diversity is celebrated and encouraged.

The best part about Christmas Around the World is that it’s
not just a place to learn about how 30 other countries celebrate Christmas. It
is also a place to see some of the best animated figures in Second Life, photo
opportunity spots for your holiday snapshots, a place to shop for holiday
items, a place to go ice skating, and a place to find some great freebies.

However, the real purpose of the sim is to give the visitor
an idea of the variety of holiday celebrations. The different continents or
areas are housed in charming cottages that encircle the ice skating rink. If
you go inside any of these you can collect notecards with detailed explanations
of the customs of different areas, and a whole collection of recipes from all
over the world. There are houses for Africa, Europe, the United States,
Slovakia, South America, and more. Chanukah customs and recipes are in the
United States cottage. In addition there is a Santa’s Workshop, and the home of
the sim owners to explore. The quality of the animated bots alone makes a visit
worthwhile. Every direction in which I turned I thought: Oooh, what a great
picture this would make. You will have no trouble finding a great place for a
pose, if you send out Second Life Holiday cards,

Christmas Around the World is the work of Brendan Macarthur and
Raegis Arrowmint, who open their home to you for this occasion, and with the help
from many other people.

So, how is Christmas celebrated in Ethiopia? According to
some of the information on the notecard I received at the African Cottage,
Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, and is called: Ye Ganna Bal
(The Birth of Christ). Families go to church, play games, get practical gifts
like clothing, and eat a stew called: Doro Wat and flatbreads. Another
celebrations take place after this, on January 19th, called Timkat,
which involves a procession, drums, and honoring of the baptism of Christ. My summary here is only a small portion of the
information on the notecard. Each
notecard ends with more notecards filled with recipes from different cultures.
For example, the Slovak notecard has a recipe for Deep-Fried Carp. Maybe not
one I would try, but interesting anyway.

Don’t miss this great build, and chance to learn and play.
Come to Christmas Around the World and get multi-cultural.